The Matchday 5 clash in the Russian Premier League between Baltika and Lokomotiv will take place on August 16 at the Rostec Arena in Kaliningrad. Baltika vs. Lokomotiv: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Baltika
In the previous round, Kaliningrad's team shared the spoils with Krylia Sovetov in a 1-1 draw away from home. Under the guidance of Andrey Talalaev, they remain unbeaten since the start of the championship, with 2 wins and 2 draws, scoring in every match during this period. Moreover, Baltika's scoring streak in the Premier League now extends to 12 matches. The club has slipped to third place in the standings.
- Both teams scored in 11 of Baltika's last 12 matches in the RPL.
- At home, the team has not lost in 5 of their last 7 league matches (4 wins, 1 draw).
- In 5 of their last 6 home games in this tournament, Baltika has scored at least two goals.
Predicted lineup for Baltika (4-5-1)
Maxim Borisko – Sergey Varatynov, Kevin Andrade, Nathan Gassama, Mingiyan Beveev – Vladislav Saus, Andrey Mendel, Ilya Petrov, Nikolai Titkov, Maxim Petrov – Brian Hill.
Lokomotiv
In the previous round, Mikhail Galaktionov's side secured a 4-2 victory over Spartak, marking their fourth consecutive win in the current championship. Notably, midfielder Alexey Batrakov scored a hat-trick. Lokomotiv is showcasing productive football, having already scored 12 goals, the highest in the tournament. The team also tops the main standings.
- At least three goals have been scored in Lokomotiv's last 6 matches in the Premier League.
- The Moscow club is unbeaten in 5 away matches in the RPL (4 wins, 1 draw).
- Lokomotiv has conceded in 7 of their last 8 away games in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Lokomotiv (4-4-2)
Anton Mitryushkin – Alexander Silyanov, Maxim Nenakhov, Cesar Montes, Evgeny Morozov – Dmitry Barinov, Alexey Batrakov, Artem Karpukas, Zelimkhan Bakaev – Nikolai Komlichenko, Alexander Rudenko.
Defender Ilya Samoshnikov is recovering from an injury. Forward Sergey Pinyaev is injured. His colleague Dmitry Vorobyov will miss the match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.
Referee
Ivan Abrosimov (Russia)
Matches – 13 (RPL, 2024/25 - 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 57;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.4;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 15%.
Baltika vs. Lokomotiv: Match Prediction
Kaliningrad's team was among the top scorers in the previous FNL season. Andrey Talalaev's side has decided to keep up the pace in the Premier League, already boasting 8 goals, and they top the xG rankings in the tournament. Therefore, one can expect an attacking approach from Baltika in the upcoming game. However, their defensive performance is less impressive compared to the lower-tier tournament: only one clean sheet and four goals conceded in the RPL 2025/26.
Matches involving Lokomotiv are the most high-scoring in the current championship, averaging 4.3 goals per game. The "Railwaymen" lead in creating scoring chances, and they have scored at least twice in every RPL 2025/26 match. However, they also allow their opponents opportunities to score. In terms of goals conceded, they have the second-worst record among the top half of the standings, and in their last 8 away matches in the Premier League, they have only kept a clean sheet once.
My prediction: Total over 2.5 goals
